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Designer Ireland: No 271: Irish rugby strip

When the Irish rugby team ran out against Italy recently, it was in a brand new strip — and no wonder. It replaces a uniform that looked deliberately old-fashioned compared with the skin-tight micro-fibred gear of the Italians and English. The new Irish one seems a compromise — the change is not as radical as that made by many teams before the 2003 world cup, but it makes the Irish look more up-to-date.

The main changes are in the collar and colours, with the neckline now seeming more styled for sport, with the use of white plaquet tape rather than a full collar. This is in contrast to the old jersey, which in its size and buttons retained a design reference to a shirt collar. Curiously, Christchurch of New Zealand, which manufactures the strip, advertises the Irish necklines as being for “less serious” play.